The criticism sounded by fans and drivers following the Spanish Grand Prix, where overtaking was proven impossible even when one car was evidently much faster than the other, has left its mark on the Formula One decision makers, who are now willing to admit a change is needed, and more.

Max Mosley has admitted, in Autosport Magazine, that indeed, overtaking is currently more difficult. However, Mosley, president of the FIA, has also been defensive of his imposed rule changes that saw Formula One cars switch from slick tyres to grooves. Mosley recently rejected altogether the criticism of the drivers, saying they are not paid to complain.

But now, it seems that Mosley will have to battle a more powerful and meaningful critique, in the form of his vice president and the most powerful man all around in Formula One, Bernie Ecclestone, who told The London Times he will support a change back to slicks.

"I have never been one for making big changes to the tyres," Ecclestone said yesterday. "The theory has been that we need to slow the cars down in the corners for safety's sake. It has always been Max's ambition to do that with the tyres, but I don't know why myself. His idea is that an accident at 200mph is more dangerous than one at 160mph, but people can be killed at 40mph. We must go back to wide, slick tyres to get more grip and more overtaking."

Ecclestone went on to say that, "A lot of what happens in Formula One is strategic. People watch a football match that turns out to be a goal-less draw but they don't complain if the tactics and the football are good. But there is a lot to do to make sure that drivers can overtake. I want to see them getting right under the back wing of the car in front and then running wide to get past. The aerodynamics now are just so good that it doesn't happen very much any more and we have to do something about it."